Landing means for vessels.



PATENTED JULY 10; 1906.

J. B. SERVISS. LANDING MEANS FOR-VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED 001224, 1905.

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JAMES B. SERVISS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

LANDING MEANS FOR VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1906.

Application filed October 24, 1905. Serial No. 284,221.

To aZZ whom, it Wmy concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES B. SERvIss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Landing Means for Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

Hy invention relates to landing and steadying means for vessels of light draftsuch as surf-boats, launches, rafts, &c.; and an object thereof is to provide novel attachment means whereby a safe and convenient landing of the passengers is effected without other means than those attached to the vessel at any convenient point along the beach or shore. A further object is to provide means attached to the .stern thereof whereby after the vessel has effected a landing it may be steadied, so that the passengers may be safelylanded therefrom, and at the same time to raise the stern of the vessel, so that it will not be affected by the incoming surf except to force the vessel farther upon the beach.

I accomplish these objects by means of the device described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a launch with my device in its operative position. Fig. 2 is a plan of the vessel with my device in its operative position.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a vessel of light draft. Pivotally secured to the bow thereof is a swinging gang-plank B, which is preferably bifurcated on its inner end, so as to conform to the lines of the ves sel. The arms B, formed by the bifurcation, are pivotally attached to the sides of the vessel by the pintle-bolts-E. Secured to the deck of the vessel at the bow thereof is a Windlass G, to which is secured one end of a cable D, the other end being secured to the gank-plank A, by means of which the gangplank is raised or lowered at will. The dotted position of the plank represents it in its normal position.

Similar in construction to the gang-plank B and pivotally secured to the vessel by the pintle-bolts G, near the stern thereof, is a bifurcated steadying-drop F, to the outer end of which is secured a cable H, the other end passing around a cleat I, secured to the deck of the vessel in the stern thereof. This cable is for the purpose of raising or lowering the drop F when a landing is desired to be made and also to limit the forward movement of the free end of the drop.

In making a landing with a vessel equipped with my device the drop F is first lowered into the water and held by the cable H, which limits its forward movement, so that it will not be carried underneath before it contacts with the bottom thereof. l/Vhen the vessel strikes the beach, the gang-plank A is lowered until its free end contacts with the beach. The incoming surf after the vessel has effected a landing will impact against the dropF and have a tendency to force the vessel farther upon the beach, and at the same time the free end of the drop contacting with the bottom will have a tendency to raise the stern of the vessel out of reach of the incoming surf and at the same time steadying the vessel, so that the passengers can safely land from the vessel Without the usual attendant dan 'ers. l/Vhen a landing is made from the stern o the vessel, the gang-plank may be used as a steadying means. By this arrangement it will be manifest that a vessel equipped with my device will be able to accomplish a safe and satisfactory landing of the passengers,

and at the same time when the vessel is in motion the device may be drawn up into the position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, so that it will be entirely out of the way of the passengers and it will not interfere with the navigation or speed of the vessel in the slightest degree.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a device of the character herein described, a bifurcated gang-plank pivotally secured to the sides of the vessel adjacent the bow thereof; in combination with a bifurcated steadying-drop pivotally secured to the sides of the vessel adjacent the stern thereof and adapted when in its operative position to render a landing from the gang-plank effective; and means secured to said plank and drop to elevate and lower the same at will.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of October, 1905.

JAMES B. SERVISS. l/Vitnesses:

MARGARETE O. NIOKELESON, G. E. I-IARPHAM. 

